Masterpiece ready to welcome guests
It is only 18 months since the official ground-breaking ceremony for Masterpiece Southlands Meadow seniors’ complex, and the first resident will be moving in Monday.
“It’s the best project I’ve been involved in. It exceeds my expectations,” said Tim Garforth-Bles, president and CEO Masterpiece Care Corp. “It is under budget and took 18 months to build a concrete building.”
Masterpiece Southlands Meadow, 4401 Southlands Dr., is a hive of activity this week as the final touches are put in place for the 151,000 squarefoot complex with 120 units.
One-hundred units will be subsidized by Alberta Health Services for long-term care and dementia residents. There will be another 40 independent living spaces and a further 60 to be determined.
To the left of the entrance, in deep tones of espresso and volcanic shades of flame, is the Lava Java coffee stop ready for residents to enjoy a special coffee and watch the action.
Moving away from the conventional framed pictures on the walls there are murals instead chosen to complement colour tones. Whole walls are covered in tranquil scenes of forests and in some cases the scenes evoke memories with images of Medicine Hat and the Cypress Hills.
The dining room, with two-storey windows providing a panoramic view, boasts state-of-the-art grills, pizza ovens, and even an on-site bakery. Gold Seal chef Ray McGuire will be preparing the first meals Monday night.
Specially designed to provide a home for seniors, there is a secure dementia wing. Smaller colour-coded zones have been created where residents can feel more like a family. Each area has its own dining room and kitchen. There is plenty of glass so residents are able to see where staff are even if they are temporarily sitting at a desk in an office, explained vice president of care Darlene Gallant.
The third and forth floors have one-bedroom apartments completely self-contained for independent living.
They’re perfectly designed for seniors with large walk-in showers, an in-suite laundry and a fully equipped kitchen including double wall ovens, said Garforth-Bles.
“You would think this was only for the wealthy,” said Garforth-Bles, who points out accommodation in long-term care would be $2,000 per person a month or $4,000 for a couple. A one-bedroom apartment on the third and fourth floor works out at about $5,500 for a couple per month and that includes all meals.
The residence is already more than 95 per cent leased, said Garforth-Bles. There is wi-fi throughout the entire building, a 100-seat theatre and a resident physician. An official opening will take place Dec. 1 by invitation only.
For this project Masterpiece received a grant of $6.25 million from the provincial government under the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative program. The project cost $40 million. ASLI grant recipients are required to maintain the units for 30 years at government-established rates.
Garfoth-Bles is already contemplating phase two of the project that could be under construction within a year. It will provide another 80 units, with a different concept, aimed at couples for independent living, he said.